Doctors and students protest at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI)
Shortly after midnight on August 15, a large group of miscreants entered the State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, causing damage to various parts of the facility.
The medical college had been the site where a woman doctor was raped and murdered. The vandalism coincided with midnight protests led by women against the brutal crime. Disguised as protestors, the group vandalised hospital property and hurled stones at the police.
The police used tear gas to control the mob.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused “TMC goons” allegedly dispatched by party leader Mamata Banerjee of carrying out the vandalism.
On August 9, the body of a female postgraduate trainee was found inside a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Authorities have arrested a civic volunteer in connection with the incident. The Calcutta High Court has mandated that the investigation be transferred from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Mob vandalised the crime scene, says student
Anupam Roy, a final-year MBBS student from Kolkata, accused the mob on Thursday of intentionally vandalising the crime scene and appealed to the public for their support in ensuring a safe environment for doctors.
”Yesterday we were having a peaceful protest, we had planned to arrange a rally of female nurses, doctors and students. When we were getting ready to start the rally, a huge mob came. We requested them to continue their rally and not try to interfere here as there are female protestors. Then the mob tried to get into our protest, shockingly there used to be a lot of police when protests used to happen but when the mob arrived, there was a very small number of police personnel present at the spot,” news agency ANI quoted her as saying.
A student said, “When the mob entered, we ran to look for the safe places to hide. The mob vandalised everything. They did not stop there. The mob went to the crime spot. we were shocked that the mob just came to tamper with the evidence and break the protest in a targeted and organised way.”
Publicising punishments for crimes against women is essential, says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of broadly publicising the punishments for crimes against women to instil a sense of deterrence.
Speaking from the Red Fort on the 78th Independence Day, Modi highlighted his government’s focus on a “women-led development model” while expressing his deep concern over the continued incidents of rape and violence against women.
We have worked on a women-led development model. Whether it is innovation, employment, or entrepreneurship, in every sector women are marching ahead. Today from the Red Fort, I want to express my pain. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against our mothers, sisters and daughters. There is anger among common people because of this. I can feel that rage,” the Prime Minister said.
(With agency inputs)
First Published: Aug 15 2024 | 10:07 AM IST
